Head-gate.



J. T. FITCH.

HEAD GATE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1913. 1,083,818. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THOMAS FITCH, 0F HELPER, UTAH.

HEAD-GATE.

Application filed. September 17, 1913.

To all wiz-0m t may concern:

Be it known that T, JOHN THOMAS FITCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Helper, in the county of Carbon and State of Utah, have invented a new and Improved Head-Gate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong, inexpensive and balanced gate which can be quickly and easily operated and which is provided with means indicating the size of opening formed by the oate. b I obtain the above object by providing a gate adapted to swing in a plane normal to the flow through the gate, with means for swinging the gate and means indicating the size of opening made by the gate.

The invention consists of the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and fully set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specilication, in which like characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View of same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the locking means; and Fig. 4 is a face view of the wheel by means of which the gate is manipulated.

Referring to the drawing, 5 represents a trough, of any suitable shape, the sides 6 of which are preferably stepped to economize material. The end of the trough,where the higher portions of the sides 6 are located, is provided with a grate 7 formed of a plurality of flat members 8 carried by a frame 9 fitting snugly into the said end of the trough and secured thereto in any suitable way. The grate 7 is so positioned in the trough that the members or bars 8 are disposed substantially vertically with the flat surface of the bars, making an angle of substantially 45 degrees with the longitudinal axis of the trough. This end of the trough forms the inlet to the same; and the purpose of this grate at the said end is to preventthe passage of solid particles through the trough.

`Positioned in the trough adjacent the grate 7 is a gate 10, preferably rectangular in shape, and provided centrally on its hori- Zontal edges with vertically disposed trunnions 11 tting into the sockets 12 secured in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Serial No. 790,202.

any suitable way in the bottom of the trough and in the transverse beam 13 connecting the sides 6. The sockets 12 form journals for the trunnions 11, and therefore for the gate 10. The gate 10 has its vertical edges beveled on the opposite sides; and the non-beveled portion of the face of the gate receives a resilient or flexible strip 14 adapted to come in Contact with the rigid strips 15 secured to the sides 6 of the trough and forming stops or abutments for the gate 10 when the same closes the trough. The engagement between the fiexible strips 14 on the gate and the rigid strips 15 in the trough prevents leakage of water from the canal, or the supply medium, through the trough. The upper trunnion 11 is made to project above the beam 13, and the projecting portion receives a pointer 16 const-rained to move with the trunnion and therefore with the gate. Secured to the beam 13 is an indicator 17 cooperating with the pointer. As shown in the drawing, the indicator is formed of a quadrant of a circle the center of which is in the pivotal axis of the gat-e. The quadrant is divided, so that when the gate makes an opening of, say, one-quarter of an inch at each side of the trough, the pointer will indicate an opening of a half inch, that is, the total opening of the two sides. The amount of water flowing through the gate can then be computed by knowing the depth of water in the trough at the gate.

Secured to one of the sides 6 in any suitable way is a substantially horizontal support or guide 18. A block 19 is mounted to slide on the support 18, which block is pivotally connected by means of a rod 2O to the side of the gate 10 adjacent the side 6 which does not carry the support 16, thereby preventing the formation of a dead center between the block and gate. To slide the block 19, and thereby swing the gate 10 on its trunnions a rod 21 is connected by one end to the block 19, so that the same can rotate freely in the block; but when the rod is moved axially, the block 19 is constrained to move therewith. The opposite end of the rod 21 is provided with a thread which engages a nut 22 secured in the cross-inember 23 connecting the sides 6, the thread on the rod 21 being such as to cause a rigid axial movement of the rod when the same is rotated by means of a wheel 24 secured at the extremity of the threaded end.

Positioned on the cross-member 23 is a standard 25, preferably U-shaped, with the ends engaged in the member 23 and central with the rod 21. Pivotally mounted with one end on the standard is a link 26, to the opposite end of which is pivotally attachedL a flat member Vor link 27. The link 26 is adapted to swing on the standard 25 as a pendulum, and also adapted to move sidewise on the saine if desired. The member 27 is adapted to project through radial 'slots 28 formed in the wheel 24. This engagement between the member 27 and the wheel 24C prevents the rotation of the rod 21 and, therefore, the vchange of opening in the trough made by the gate 10. The member 27 is provided with a series of openings 29 which can be engaged by a padlock 30, preventing the removal of the member 27 from the slots 28 of the wheel 24.

To operate the gate, that is to open or close the same, or change the opening in the trough, the padlock 30 is removed, the link 26 is swung' on the standard 25 until the member 27 is removed from the slot 28 of the wheel 24, thus leaving the wheel 24 free. By rotating the wheel 24, the rod 20 is moved in or out of the stationary nut 22, thereby causing the block 19 to slide on the support 18. This displacement of the block causes the gate 10 to swing on its trunnions andv produces the desired action by the gate, with the pointer 16 indicating the change. After the desired change is obtained, the member 27 is made to engage the wheel 24 and the padlock is replaced, thereby preventing themanipulati'on of the gate.

The gate being centrally pivoted in a vertical aXis, the pressure of the water on the gate, at any position of the gate, is necessarily balanced; thus, no eXtra power is required to operate the gate.

Having thus described my invention, I clai'in as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a head-gate,-a trough; a gate in said trough; trunnions on said gate engaging said trough whereby said gate is centrally pivoted on a substantially vertical axis; a pointer carried by one of said trunnions; an indicator associated with said pointer whereby the size of the openings formed by the gate with the trough is indi` cated; a block mounted to slide in said trough; a rod connecting said block with said gate; a screw associated with said block; and means for turning the screw whereby said gate is manipulated on its trunnions.

2. In a head-gate,a trough; a gate in said trough; trunnions on said gate engaging said trough whereby said gate is centrally pivoted on a substantially vertical axis; a pointer carried by one of said trunnions; an indicator 'associated with said pointer whereby the size of the opening formed by the gate with the trough is indicated; a support secured to lone side of said trough; a block mounted to slide in said support; a rod connecting said block with said gate; a screw associated with said block; a wheel having radial slots and secured to the screw, whereby the same is turned; and means for locking' the movement of the wheel adapted to engage said slot, `substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a head-gate,-a trough; a pivotally mounted, balanced gate in said trough, said gate pivoting in a substantially vertical aXis; means for indicating the width of opening formed by the gate in the trough; a support secured 'to one side of said trough; a block slidably mounted on said support; a rod connecting said block with said gate; and means for sliding said block, whereby said gate is operated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y JOHN THOMAS FITCH.

fitnesses l/VILLIAM S. AVERY, JOHN S. Reno.

Copies of this patent A4may b'c obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

